This invention relates to taxidermy forms and mannequins, and more particularly to a taxidermy form assembly including a head member and a separate face member.
Taxidermy involves the preservation of animal skins and mounting the animal head skins over molded animal head mannequins which replicate the sub-dermal structures of the animal to be preserved. In addition to the skin, the taxidermist will further attach artificial eyes, noses, antlers, and the like, to the mannequin to further replicate the true appearance. The end product is secured to a wall plaque or the like, and typically mounted on a wall as a trophy.
Conventional taxidermy head form mannequins provide pre-formed eye socket cavities into each of which the taxidermist must mount separate artificial glass eyepieces. When modeling a taxidermy form, the eyes must be set within the eye sockets in a precise manner at the proper depth and angle. To allow for tilting of eyes relative to the sockets, the eye sockets are made relatively deep, and the eyes are then embedded in a layer of modeling clay, two-part epoxy or other malleable material. The taxidermist may use the same clay or epoxy in the eye and nose areas to sculpt, for example, a more detailed anatomically correct eyelid area over the eye to recreate the proper eyelid and muscle definition. A layer of hide paste is then applied to the surface of the mannequin. The head skin of the animal is then pulled over the form with the eye set in, seams are sewn and left to dry.
A taxidermist spends considerable time and skill to properly adjust the depth and alignment of the eyes. If the taxidermist does not apply the correct thickness of clay, the eyes may appear sunken or protruding. It is also important to align the angle of the eye, and particularly the pupil, in relation to the form so that the eye appears to be symmetrical and as natural as possible. Some animals, for example, a cat, have vertical elongated pupils, whereas other animals, for example, a deer, have horizontal elongated pupils and other animals, for example, a bear, have round pupils. If the eye is of the elongated pupil type, there are a number of axes on which the eye must be properly aligned for it to appear lifelike and to constitute a correct anatomical representation of an animal. In addition, the eyes of different animals are naturally set at different angles with regard to the “straight ahead” direction. For example, a dog's eyes are at almost 0° to straight ahead, whereas some bird species have their eyes at almost 90° to straight ahead. A white-tailed deer's eyes are at approximately 45° to straight ahead. Moreover, there are variations in shape and size of the eyes, even for different sized animals of the same species.
The taxidermy head forms may lack detail in particular facial contour features due to the difficulties in molding the areas around the eyes, eyelids, nose, nostrils, septa, and lips. The forming of the correct eye-surrounding anatomical contour features is demanding of considerable time and skill of the taxidermist. In the past, there have been problems correctly positioning and securing of the skin in the correct anatomical position over the eyelid and eyebrow portions and around the lips and nose. Nose and lip models are available as discrete components, to be attached separately to the taxidermy form. However, the taxidermist still must affix the nose and the lips parts to the head model and to dimensionally match the artificial parts to the skin, in order to obtain a life-like taxidermy model.
For the foregoing reasons there is a need for a taxidermy animal head mannequin which allows the eyes to be easily and accurately positioned therein in correct position and rotational orientation. The new mannequin should also have correct and detailed facial and eye-surrounding anatomical features as an integral part of the mannequin, especially in the area of the eyes and lips.